It is a stupid question but, if for some reason, the Moria Orcs had decided to declare war on the Balrog. Would the theory of "strength in numbers" have given the Orcs victory, as I'm sure Moria Orcs must be cunning and there are alot of them, or would the Balrog wipe them out with a flick of his fingers (if it/he has fingers) ?

Hmm... Given that the orcs seem to live in fear and reverence of the Balrog, if for whatever reason they decided to wage war against him (it?) I feel like their strength in numbers would turn into a disadvantage once organized plans turn into chaos - because bottom line they would still be deadly afraid of the Balrog. I think it's not too different from the Orc-Nazgul relationship. Even though they might physically have some advantage, it would come down to nothing due to the more psychological factor. When I try to imagine Moria orcs rising against the Balrog... at first I see some devious tactics, and some brave cheers, but then one orc panics, and a couple more desert, and it's all chaos - and the more orcs participate, the larger the chaos is.

__________________
- These taxes, they are like sacrifices to tribal gods?
- Well, roughly speaking, but paying taxes is more painful.

P.S. The Balrog seemed to dispatch Balin and a large company of Dwarves with relative ease; I don't see a gaggle of Orcs being much more difficult.

I think the main thing - well, two things really - would be 1. Numbers: the orcs are countless, and 2. The orcs know at least a bit what they are dealing with (and they would know even more if they are the initiators of this war with the purpose of getting rid of the Balrog). It seems to me that the Dwarves really had no clue what the creature was, and where he lived, and what were his habits, his abilities. The orcs, being more familiar with some of these things, would have the simple strategical advantage of thinking ahead.

__________________
- These taxes, they are like sacrifices to tribal gods?
- Well, roughly speaking, but paying taxes is more painful.

I think the main thing - well, two things really - would be 1. Numbers: the orcs are countless, and 2. The orcs know at least a bit what they are dealing with (and they would know even more if they are the initiators of this war with the purpose of getting rid of the Balrog). It seems to me that the Dwarves really had no clue what the creature was, and where he lived, and what were his habits, his abilities. The orcs, being more familiar with some of these things, would have the simple strategical advantage of thinking ahead.

Hmmm...were there "countless orcs" in Moria? If so, what did they eat?
I can't recall any given number. And as far as Orcs being strategic and thinking ahead, I don't believe there are many cases where Orcs displayed Napoleonic stratagems to defeat a foe, particularly one like a Balrog who, of course, is a Maia -- and one with wings!

Hmmm...were there "countless orcs" in Moria? If so, what did they eat?
I can't recall any given number. And as far as Orcs being strategic and thinking ahead, I don't believe there are many cases where Orcs displayed Napoleonic stratagems to defeat a foe, particularly one like a Balrog who, of course, is a Maia -- and one with wings!

Hmmm...were there "countless orcs" in Moria? If so, what did they eat?
I can't recall any given number. And as far as Orcs being strategic and thinking ahead, I don't believe there are many cases where Orcs displayed Napoleonic stratagems to defeat a foe, particularly one like a Balrog who, of course, is a Maia -- and one with wings!

Chicken wings are a deadly weapon when it comes to food fights, true.

(And that indeed explains what the orcs would have eaten!)

Seriously, though - what would even one orc eat in Moria? If you can find food for one, you can find food for two. I thought Moria was absolutely barren in that sense, and if they got fresh food at all, it was from hunting on moonless nights. I don't see why you can't feed many many many orcs that way. They don't seem to gorge themselves on food, and it's possible to hunt without depleting the region of wildlife.

__________________
- These taxes, they are like sacrifices to tribal gods?
- Well, roughly speaking, but paying taxes is more painful.

I think the main thing - well, two things really - would be 1. Numbers: the orcs are countless, and 2. The orcs know at least a bit what they are dealing with (and they would know even more if they are the initiators of this war with the purpose of getting rid of the Balrog). It seems to me that the Dwarves really had no clue what the creature was, and where he lived, and what were his habits, his abilities. The orcs, being more familiar with some of these things, would have the simple strategical advantage of thinking ahead.

yes the Orcs would definatly have a strategic advantage, if they were smart (if that's the right word?) enough to use it, the outcome would depend on there tactics as well, I think rushing in to a big fight might be the wrong way to go about it.

Does the Balrog have wings? Why didn't it fly when Gandalf broke the bridge???
"You shall not pass"

Does the Balrog have wings? Why didn't it fly when Gandalf broke the bridge???

It is related through evolution to penguins and ostriches. See, after the Balrogs flew at the end of the First Age, they never used their wings again, and so over many generations the wings became vestigial features, quite useless for flight but still important for other biologically important events. For instance, Balrogs often puff out their wings to appear bigger when they want to frighten off their enemies, and the size, shape, and coloration of the wings is a major factor in mate selection.

...What? This is the Mirth forum!

That aside (but for the record, I don't think the Balrog had wings), I don't think the orcs would have gathered many plants and shoots - they don't seem to be the ones for a veggie diet.

__________________
- These taxes, they are like sacrifices to tribal gods?
- Well, roughly speaking, but paying taxes is more painful.